[AndreYew]

Three important things:

1. Look far ahead, 7 to 10 seconds if possible. Don't look down or at the car right in front of you. Look up at the horizon, and don't stare or lock your gaze. Anticipate what's going to happen, and deal with it early. If you stare at the car in front of you, not only will you not know what's going on around you, but you will be as crappy a driver as he is (see #2 below).

2. You will go where you look. If you're about to hit a tree, and you look at the tree, you will hit the tree. Look where you want to go, and your hands will magically do the rest. This is true for turning and steering, as well as dealing with slides and low-traction situations.

3. Relax, otherwise 1 and 2 won't work.

Oh yeah, use your turn signals, don't follow too closely, and be aware of cars around (front, side, behind you). Assume they're stupid and will try to prove it to you.

--Andre

 

[finleyville]

andrzejpw,

Since I will be driving in the same city as you are, I expect a full and detailed itinerary of your driving route so I can miss you by about 20 miles!

"I want to tell you good luck. We're all counting on you back here." Leslie Nielson - Airplane

 

[Mr.PD]

Quote:

Originally posted by AndreYew Three important things: 1. Look far ahead, 7 to 10 seconds if possible. Don't look down or at the car right in front of you. Look up at the horizon, and don't stare or lock your gaze. Anticipate what's going to happen, and deal with it early. If you stare at the car in front of you, not only will you not know what's going on around you, but you will be as crappy a driver as he is (see #2 below). 2. You will go where you look. If you're about to hit a tree, and you look at the tree, you will hit the tree. Look where you want to go, and your hands will magically do the rest. This is true for turning and steering, as well as dealing with slides and low-traction situations. 3. Relax, otherwise 1 and 2 won't work. Oh yeah, use your turn signals, don't follow too closely, and be aware of cars around (front, side, behind you). Assume they're stupid and will try to prove it to you. --Andre

This is the best advice so far. A lot of the other suggestions are good too, but Andre stated it very well.
The only thing I can add is this; When the roads get slick go back to the parking lot. I learned more about skid control in a vacant parking lot doing donuts than I ever could have on the road. I taught my son skid control this way. I had a front wheel drive car which is very hard to just spin sideways. What I did was I had him going across the lot at a good clip then I yanked up on the parking brake. We had a blast and he learned how to work a car thats going in circles. Make sure you got lots of space to play in.

 

[raymondlin]

Learning how to do handbrake turns! You are driving on the road, not a racing circuit! Are you nuts?

 

[gaineso]

Quote:

Originally posted by raymondlin Learning how to do handbrake turns! You are driving on the road, not a racing circuit! Are you nuts?

With a "Fly-Off Handbrake" No.

With the push to release types on most FWD cars, Yeah.

Remember, the Mini is back!!!!!!!

 

[Nezer]

Quote:

Originally posted by raymondlin Learning how to do handbrake turns! You are driving on the road, not a racing circuit! Are you nuts?

I dunno what it's like in the UK but here in the states it certainly seems like it's a rally racing circuit at times...

My favorite... Californians here in Colorado when it starts to sprinkle. These guys do better in 12" of snow than when the sky starts to spit a little.

My second favorite; the idiots in the SUVs that think because they are a large 4-wheel-drive vehicle that somehow they are immune to Newton's laws. I once saw one of these ******** going about 40MPH in the middle turn lane on 2" of solid ice once. I guess he didn't realize if he hit the breaks he would still be going about 40 in a straight line for quite a distance before something *else* besides his brakes stopped him. I own a large 4WD SUV and there are things I can do that smaller cars can't but go faster than them sure as hell isn't one of them. Getting to work in 2-feet of snow is.

And as bad as the Californians and Texans (why do they think the left lane is the cruising lane in Colorado?) are here i can tell you the Canadians in Florida are MUCH worse. Especially those from Quebec. I hear they drive fast in Quebec but when that same Quebecer comes down to Florida they slow-down to 30 in a 55 and stay in the left lane forcing the traffic to the right.

I once had one of these idiots STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY to point at the boats in the marina!! Damn am I glad I moved out of that hell-hole of a state.

p.s. If there is anyone I *didn't* offend please let me know and I'll try harder next time.

 

[Nezer]

Oh, the advice about assuming everyone around you are stupid and they are out to prove it to you... Great advice! Some days one would have a hard time proving otherwise.

 

[lucien]

the best advice that's been put in here yet, and what i forgot to add, was the remark about not just looking at the car in front of you.

you should always be looking at least several cars ahead. you should be reacting at the same time as the guy in front -- not once he's already slammed on the brakes.

 

[Ken]

basically what you hit with the front of the car you pay for.

 

[andrzejpw]

lol, thanks guys!. I'm back from my "leave. . ." WITH my permit!

I'm happy to report that the lady I hit WILL be making a full and complete recovery in a few months.

My dad said first thing we're doing when it starts snowing is going to an empty parking lot and he's teaching me skid control.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally posted by lucien the best advice that's been put in here yet, and what i forgot to add, was the remark about not just looking at the car in front of you. you should always be looking at least several cars ahead. you should be reacting at the same time as the guy in front -- not once he's already slammed on the brakes.

This is where those third brake-lights come in real handy - but don't just depend on the lights.

If you want to drive like a race car driver, drive like a REAL race car driver:

1. Know what is around you at all times.
2. If it buggs you, get rid of it or them. (some use the word "distraction", but if it buggs you, its a distraction.)
3. Learn what a road will feel like by what it looks like. STUDY the road surface.
4. Learn to steer during a panic stop. Sometimes you will HAVE to stop quickly and won't have a short enough space to do it in. You may have to turn onto the sholder (BUT NOT IN THE DITCH!!) to avoid hitting the guy in front of you AND to avoid being hit.
5. Know your car (and yes the stereo too, so you don't have to look at it to change stations or volume) - your life and that of your girlfriend depends on it.

On the subject of mirrors: Set the rear view for YOU. You should see nothing but the back window and whats directly behind you - if the people you share the car with don't where you put it, they can set them back when they are driving, but if they aren't behind the wheel, where they think it belongs doesn't count. Once you have that mirror set, make sure your side mirrors just barley overlap what you see in your rear-view mirror. Now constantly scan them and the side windows. Get them set right and you will have almost a 360 field of view. With practice it takes three seconds to adjust them correctly - maybe less. And check TWICE before you do anything involving a turn: lucien's life will depend on it - motorcycles are just plain hard to see in a mirror.

Pay attention to dark and blue-grey cars: you'll always see the red and yellow ones (so will the traffice cops), but blue-grey and dark colors are harder to see and get hit the most.

Be safe - we like your posts.

 

[Tuberoller]

Quote:

Originally posted by Nezer My second favorite; the idiots in the SUVs that think because they are a large 4-wheel-drive vehicle that somehow they are immune to Newton's laws. I once saw one of these ******** going about 40MPH in the middle turn lane on 2" of solid ice once. I guess he didn't realize if he hit the breaks he would still be going about 40 in a straight line for quite a distance before something *else* besides his brakes stopped him. I own a large 4WD SUV and there are things I can do that smaller cars can't but go faster than them sure as hell isn't one of them. Getting to work in 2-feet of snow is.

Most of the fatal accidents I see are of this nature.SUV owners that feel as though they can drive over or through anything including snow and rain at top speed.they don't realize that no matter what type of vehicle you drive you are still limited to the adhesion capablities of the tires on your vehicle.I find it difficult to explain this people including family members.I tell them that if the contact patch of the tire looses grip with the road they are likely to cras jsut like any car would,all get are reasonings that SUVs are safer than cars and can handle the higher speeds in wet and snow.Whenever it snows here the roads are littered with SUVs involved in accidents and it scares me stupid when some nit-wit flys past me going 50mph in a snow storm in an SUV.I think these tire and car ads are really misleading ignorant drivers.Slow Down.

 

[zbuddah]

don't be stupid and pick up bad habits, and don't chase down cars who cut you off. You will hit them in the back if you aren't careful.

 

[andrzejpw]

I just went driving for about a half hour at night.

 

[mbriant]

Here's a defensive driving tip my Dad taught me 32 years ago. It wound up saving my ass 20 years ago.

When you pull into an intersection and are waiting for traffic to clear or the light to change so you can make a left turn, keep your car and your wheels pointed straight ahead....NOT turned left in anticipation of making your turn. Only turn your wheels when the way is clear and you are actually making the turn.

That way, if someone rear-ends you while you're in the intersection ( and it happens way more often than you'd think ) your car will be pushed straight ahead, across the intersection, hitting nothing.

If your wheels are turned to the left, and someone bumps/slams from behind, you will be pushed into on-coming traffic with the possibility of being T-Boned or hit head on.

Always think ahead and know what's going on around you.